Incredibly, guitarist Michael Schenker believes he can resurrect his career by using four singers. On tour it was a novelty, but on 12 new studio tracks the plan faces a stiffer test – with decidely mixed results. Robin McAuley and Doogie White deliver the lion’s share and easily outshine the limited input by Graham Bonnet and Gary Barden, both of whom sound past their peak.
The best track is opener Heart And Soul (sung by McAuley) with a Judas Priest-like tempo and two fabulous guitar breaks where Schenker spars with Kirk Hammett. Also good are Warrior and closer The Last Supper, the two on which all four singers share the mic.
Elsewhere, though, the quality dips markedly and the ‘oldschool’ model soon becomes naively old-fashioned and formulaic. Guitar solos shine through sporadically, but the sad fact is that this album sounds like a great player in need of several songs – not several singers.
